Mental Health: Information, Research, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Mental Health & Nutrition

Nutrition that "feeds the brain" and reducing stress through relaxation and exercise are the cornerstones of physical and mental health.

A recent report by the British Mental Health Foundation known as "Feeding Minds" emphasizes the link between diet and mental health. According to this report, "the evidence indicates that food plays an important contributing role in the development, management and prevention of specific mental health problems, such as depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Alzheimer's disease."

The "Feeding Minds" report found that British people now eat 34% fewer vegetables and 59% less fish than 60 years ago. Fast and processed foods are almost always low in critical brain-supporting components, such as vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, and, instead, contain refined carbohydrates, saturated fats and additives, all of which are linked to irritability, mood swings and other mental issues. Additionally, this report points out that recent industrial farming have altered our food at the most basic level. Changes in feed have increased body fat composition of animals and farmed fish we eat -- as a result we now often take in a far higher ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3s - a shift that has been linked with depression as well as deficits in memory and focus.

Mental Conditions and Their Underlying Nutritional Causes:

Associated with a lack of folic acid, niacinamide, pyridoxine, magnesium and calcium.

Folic Acid occurs naturally in:

Leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens, lettuces

Dried beans and peas

Sunflower seeds

Liver and liver products

Bakers yeast

Niacin / Niacinamide

Vitamin B3 is made up of niacin (nicotinic acid) and its amide, niacinamide, and can be found in many foods, including:

yeast, meat, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables, and cereal grains.

Dietary tryptophan is also converted to niacin in the body. Vitamin B3 is often found in combination with other B vitamins including thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin, and folic acid.

Pyridoxine:

A very good source of pyridoxine is dragon fruit from South East Asia. Pyridoxine is not normally found in plants and plants are not the principal source of this vitamin. This vitamin is made by certain bacteria. Some vegetarians may get adequate pyridoxine simply from eating plants that have traces of soil (like potato skins). Most people get their supply of this vitamin from either milk or meat products.

Magnesium:

Spices, nuts, cereals, coffee, cocoa, tea, and vegetables (especially green leafy ones) - Note: Refining of food can reduce magnesium substantially, however, and fertilizers use less magnesium. This has led to observations of reduced dietary magnesium intake as compared to earlier generations

Spices, nuts, cereals, coffee, cocoa, tea, and vegetables (especially green leafy ones) - Note: Refining of food can reduce magnesium substantially, however, and fertilizers use less magnesium. This has led to observations of reduced dietary magnesium intake as compared to earlier generations

Patients suffering from this disorder have low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids or antioxidant enzymes in the brain, and low levels of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)

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